Doubt it will happen but with so many midfielders injured and ferguson and
thompson suspended i think he should drop the 5 midfield and play two strikers
we need a lead for Italy...

4-4-2

GK Alexander

DEF Smith
DEF Weir
DEF Dailly
DEF Whittaker

MID Buffel
MID Hemdani
MID Davis
MID Novo

FOR Darcheville
FOR Boyd

Buffel looked pretty sharp against St Johnstone and i would stick Novo on the
right he would give them lots of problems. Cousin looked shit and uniterested
at the wknd so he can fcuk off.

Would be delighted with a 0-0 to be fair with the amount of injuries, Cant see us
getting anything tho

Why? even if Rangers lose 1-0 they only need to catch Fiorentina on the break and go through- which as we have seen in Lisbon, Stuttgart, Lyon and Panathiniakos they can do quite effectively

No because then they both would have scored 1 goal away from home? Cuellar is such a big miss, as to is McGregor.

No disrespect mate, but you must be on something if you think that Smith will pick that team or that that team would stand a chance against Fiorentina.

Cuellar is available for a start.

2 attacking full backs - won't happen. I expect Papac to be brought back in by Smith, and quite possibly Broadfoot as well as I think he'll go with Whittaker in midfield.

Basically 4 forwards - Buffel has no chance. Might make the bench due to injuries, but Smith only plays him if he absolutely has to. Boyd is also still struggling with the virus that kept him out of the Semi yday.

I think we'll line up something like:

Alexander

Broadfoot Weir Cuellar Papac

Dailly Hemdani

Novo Davis Whittaker

Darcheville

dave258,

I think you can read Walter Smith's mind. It won't surprise me if that is the starting 11. Personally, I would like him to start with 2 up front, Darcheville and Cousin (yes Cousin!), and leave Dailly on the bench, though I know this is very unlikely. We need to win this match. A 0-0 draw won't be good enough this time.

f**k why did i think Cuellar was missing?

That changes it as you can put Dailly up in midfield. Would still like two attackers
as i agree with above 0-0 i dont think will be good enough this time.
Probably to early for Smith , Would NOT play bomb scare Broadfoot would put
whittaker there and novo on mid right.

Ps. Think the only reason smith does not play Buffel is something to do with his
contract if he plays some more games we have to pay more for him. Think he was
good before getting injured and liked the look of him on Sunday.

I actually thought Broadfoot has been quite decent really, considering the fact his natural position is center back.

He's definitely the weak link in Rangers' team. He can't run and can't tackle.

The team probably will be the 4-5-1 of

Alexander

Broadfoot
Weir
Cuellar
Papac

Whittaker
Dailly
Davis
Hemdani
Novo

Darcheville

He may spring a surprise with Buffel in behind the striker, but I doubt it. I've heard the thing about us owing Feyenoord money if he plays again aswell. Cousin playing all 120 minutes on Sunday suggests to me that Darcheville is 1st pick on Thursday.

No way should he go 4-4-2, then we'll lose a goal. If 0-0 isn't good enough, 1-1's far worse. I'd take a 0-0 and hopefully we'll have a stronger squad to choose from next time round.

Yeah, 0-0 wouldn't be the end of the world.

Fiorentina are a good team as far as I know, and I think if Rangers are to go through I reckon it'll be on the away performance. Missing Thomson and Ferguson (even though he's been mince lately) is a big blow - if we can get 0-0 on Thursday I'd be happy.

I'd play:

Alexander

Broadfoot
Cuellar
Weir
Papac

Whittaker
Davis
Daily
Hemdani
Novo

Darcheville

I'd like Novo on the right, but I think since Whittaker is also a RB he'll be on the right to cover Broadfoot - let's hope both of them together is equal to 1 decent right back .

Bit of a consensus here about what the Rangers team should be and I wouldn't be surprised if this is Smith's selection. I would still be tempted to go with an extra striker and play with a 4-4-2 formation. I am sure the Italians are expecting a 4-5-1. We have become a bit predicatable. Let's have a go at Ibrox.

Im sure Gordon Smth and Lex Gold would pull on a jersey for their common Hun cause.

Yawn!

Why are Hoops fans posting in the Scots In Europe forum?

Very droll .

Yeeeehaaaaa got tickets yesterday was bit suprised there was still some left?
Think its sold out now tho!

Gers 1-0

1. Cousin playing all 120 minutes was merely a sign of us having only one sub left to use after the first 18 minutes, if we had been winning comfortably he'd have been replaced. Novo also played 120 minutes but I'm fairly certain he'll start. I agree that Darcheville will start, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Cousin on for him after 45 or 60 minutes.

2. We most certainly will have a stronger squad. Thomson and Ferguson will be back from suspension, a very reliable source tells me Beasley is nearly ready to make a contribution and the team will know the extent of the injuries to McCulloch and McGregor and whether or not we will be doing without them for the season.

That said, while we are weakened for the home leg, Fiorentina are also not at full strength for this game. Their most prominent centre half, and captain at the weekend, Ujfalusi is out of this game injured, His replacement (whose name escapes me), while their club captain, is out of favour and out of form, and also needed 6 stitches to a head wound at the weekend. Their lynchpin midfielder, like Barry for us, is suspended for the Ibrox tie, and removes a chunk of their creative play from the team, although I don't profess to know who will replace him. Both players will be back for the game in Florence.

I'd much rather both teams were weaker for the game at Ibrox, with us at (nearly) full strength over in Italy and in better shape to play to our strengths when we KNOW what result we need.

Can't see Rangers winning this one, to be honest. Fiorentina to win 2-1, I think, as they seem to be simply too good a side for Rangers to overcome, especially with all the injuries and suspensions (though no Ferguson could be seen as a bonus)

I think a draw is really the best you guys can hope for, maybe 0-0? Then you can go for it over there.

Depends what the thinking is here: Fiorentina are a class act and they will fancy the away goal, I think beating them over there will be a tall order, I think it will similar to the away Bremen game, a real backs against the wall!! So i think Rangers have to go for it at thome, thats the only way the tie will be won, so I would go with

Alexander

Papac
Weir
Cuellar
Whittaker

Novo
Dailly
Hemdani
Davis

Buffel

Darcheville

With Novo and Davis able to push to a 4-3-3 and Buffel able to sit in if need be and act as pach with Darchville for the break-away

4-3-3

Easy now we trying our hardest to get old Walter to put TWO strikers on never mind
3!!

tbh the way things are going, I imagine that training this week will consist of trying to build a human wall that completely fills the goal, just so we can take our obligatory 0-0 draw to Italy and get the away goals we need

I'm amazed that some people think Rangers can get a 0-0 draw against one of the better Serie A sides when they needed a replay and then penalties to beat two Scottish first division teams. Anything less than a 0-3 defeat would be a good result for this Rangers side who have been consistently poor (albeit very lucky) this season.

Personally, I think they will concede at least six or seven goals over the two legs.

.

That's similar to what I was thinking too.

0-0 H, 0-0 A, then penalties anyone?

Everton flop Per Krodlup.

Played for Liverpool, did he not?

Imagine buying a ticket for a European game to see your team set out to get a 0-0 draw. Life as a hun must be murder.

That won't be the score tomorrow evening. Even you know that.

Yes imagine

Aye dream on, infact imagine your team in any cup competition ye bitter twat.

Poor us going to watch a top Italian side in the semis of a European competition
What a b*****do!!

Will you be going to Italy to watch the 2nd leg, in fact will any hun on here be doing so?

Of course, we can expect some to be logged on in here when the two games are going, making responses and contributing to threads.

Pity you won't be making any trips to Europe to watch football in the near future.

Well just like the huns on here by the looks of it.

Still, at least my bank balance can get to repair some of the damage done to it.

1-0 , Gers win.

I love the O.F.banter it,s mind clearing stuff,int it

It's a worse injury crisis than we all thought. Alan Gow has made the bench!

Certainly is,McCoist has been named as a sub as well.

Alexander
Broadfoot Cuellar Weir Papac
Novo Davis Hemdani Dailly Whittaker
Darchiville

Archie McPherson

Has anyone noticed the number of empty seats ?

What's the deal there ?

Where abouts?

i think Broadfoot will be getting pelters already.

This is dire stuff from Rangers. Keep this up and they'll lose by 2 or 3 easy.

Savin asses for the Old Firm.

Top tier of the Broomloan Stand, and the odd seat throughout the ground actually

My flatmate (not a club member, no "connections") phoned up at 2.30pm today and got a ticket no bother

I would imagine you would get the odd single seat.

Why are Fiorentina losing it a bit?

Rangers running at them is causing them problems, might even get a goal or two tonight

Price i reckon, didnt they put the tickets up to about £35 a shot?

How Cuellar didn't win player of the year i will never know.He holds that hun defence together.

HT

You don't think the huns UEFA cup games can get any worse and then comes the next one at Ibrox.